If you receive SSI or SSDI and you have any income — from a job, self-employment, gifts, or other sources — you're required to report it to Social Security. Failing to report income (or reporting it late) can lead to overpayments, benefit reductions, and a lot of stress down the road. The good news is that reporting is straightforward once you know what to report, when, and how.
In this article, we'll cover:
- Why reporting income to Social Security matters
- What types of income you need to report for SSI vs SSDI
- How to report your income (phone, online, and in person)
- Reporting deadlines and how quickly you need to act
- What happens if you don't report or report late
- Tips for keeping organized records throughout the year
Why Reporting Matters
Social Security uses your income information to calculate the correct benefit amount and determine whether you're still eligible for your program. For SSI recipients, income directly affects your monthly payment — every dollar of unearned income (after the first $20) reduces your SSI check dollar-for-dollar, and earned income reduces it at a different rate after certain exclusions.
For SSDI recipients, reporting earned income is essential because Social Security needs to monitor whether your work activity exceeds the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit — $1,690 per month in 2026 for non-blind individuals. If you consistently earn above SGA after your Trial Work Period, your SSDI benefits could be affected.
The fundamental reason to report promptly is to avoid overpayments. If Social Security pays you more than they should because they didn't know about your income, they'll eventually find out — typically through tax records and employer reports — and they'll ask for the money back. Overpayments can be difficult to repay on a fixed income, and while you can request a waiver, it's much better to avoid the situation in the first place.
What You Need to Report
The reporting requirements differ depending on which program you're on.
SSI recipients need to report virtually all income, including wages from employment, self-employment earnings, cash gifts, in-kind support (like someone paying your rent or giving you food), investment income, rental income, and any other money or support you receive. You also need to report changes in your resources, like opening a new bank account, receiving an inheritance, or buying or selling property.
SSDI recipients primarily need to report work activity. This includes starting a job, stopping a job, changes in your work duties or hours, and your monthly earnings. You should also report if you start receiving other disability benefits (like workers' compensation) or if other significant changes occur.
For both programs, you should report any change that could affect your benefits, even if you're not sure it matters. It's always better to over-report than to under-report. Social Security will determine what's relevant — your job is to make sure they have the information.
How to Report
Social Security offers several ways to report your income, and you can choose whichever method works best for you.
By phone: Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY: 1-800-325-0778). You can speak with a representative who will record your income report. Phone lines are typically busiest early in the week and early in the month, so calling later in the week or later in the day may reduce your wait time.
Online: SSI recipients can use Social Security's SSI Telephone Wage Reporting system (SSITWR) or the my Social Security online portal to report wages. The online tools are especially convenient for reporting regular employment income and can save you a trip to the office.
In person: Visit your local Social Security office to report income. Bring documentation — pay stubs, bank statements, or other records — to support your report. You can find your local office at ssa.gov/locator.
By mail: You can also send written notice to your local Social Security office, though this is generally the slowest method and doesn't give you immediate confirmation that your report was received.
Reporting Deadlines
For SSI recipients, the general rule is to report changes by the 10th of the month following the month in which the change occurred. So if you start a new job in March, you should report it by April 10th. Reporting sooner is always better — the faster Social Security knows, the faster they can adjust your payment and the less likely you are to face an overpayment.
For SSDI recipients, there isn't a specific day-of-the-month deadline, but Social Security expects you to report promptly. The sooner you report work activity, the better. If you're starting a new job, report it right away rather than waiting to see how it goes.
Some SSI recipients who work regularly may be enrolled in programs that streamline the reporting process, such as monthly wage reporting through the phone system or online portal. If you work consistently, ask your local Social Security office about setting up regular wage reporting.
What Happens If You Don't Report
If you fail to report income and Social Security overpays you, they'll eventually discover the discrepancy and send you an overpayment notice. This notice will explain how much you were overpaid and ask you to repay the amount.
For SSI recipients, overpayments are common and can result from even small reporting delays. Social Security may recover the overpayment by reducing your future SSI checks — typically by 10% of your monthly benefit — until the balance is repaid.
For SSDI recipients, overpayments from unreported work can be substantial, especially if months of benefits were paid when they shouldn't have been. Social Security can withhold your entire monthly benefit until the overpayment is recovered.
If you receive an overpayment notice and you believe it's wrong, you can request a reconsideration within 60 days. If the overpayment is correct but you can't afford to repay it, you can request a waiver. Social Security may waive the overpayment if you weren't at fault and repayment would deprive you of money needed for basic living expenses.
Staying Organized
The single most effective thing you can do is keep good records throughout the year. Save every pay stub, bank statement, and document related to any income you receive. Create a simple system — whether it's a folder, a spreadsheet, or an app — that lets you track your earnings month by month.
If you receive SSI, consider tracking your bank account balance alongside your income. Since SSI has a $2,000 resource limit, knowing your account balance at any given time helps you avoid resource limit violations in addition to income reporting issues.
Keeping organized records also makes the annual SSI redetermination process smoother. When Social Security reviews your eligibility, having your documentation ready means less stress and faster processing.
Staying on top of income reporting is easier with the right banking tools. Purple's checking account is built for SSI and SSDI recipients, with features that help you track your income, monitor your balance, and keep your benefits on track.